Category: Garden Recycling

When I speak to groups about the benefits of composting, I begin by asking how many people are not already composting at home. Always amazed at the number of hands that are raised, I inquire why not. I am taking on the most common reasons folks give for not composting. After reading to the bottom… Continue reading 6 Excuses Not to Compost…All Rejected!

I believe gardeners are a resourceful group, rising to meet the challenges their gardens present. I also believe that more than a few of the gardeners I know are, shall we say, value conscious. Or maybe we shouldn’t be afraid of the word cheap, and just call it like it is. My friend, Marcy, calls… Continue reading The Greenhouse that Marcy Built

It’s okay that the winter will soon come this way. The leaves of the hostas have all been cut back, Removing slugs’ blankets and revealing their eggs, So frogs and toads in the garden can enjoy a fall snack. It’s okay that the winter will soon come this way. Soil’s been mounded over the bases… Continue reading Ready…Not Ready…Ready for Winter – A Poem

Saving seeds is the completion and the beginning of the circle of life in my garden. A seed is one of nature’s great miracles – everything necessary to grow a plant is held within its tiny walls. I started zinnias and marigolds from seeds early last spring, nurtured them from young seedlings to small plants,… Continue reading Saving Seeds of Marigolds & Zinnias

From the moment you enter this year’s Chicago Flower & Garden show, you know you are in for a treat. Paying homage to Navy Pier’s 100th birthday, the entrance garden features Chicago landmarks, pink and white roses, lush ferns and purple Senetti pericallis. I love the exhibits of tulips, hyacinths and roses. I am more… Continue reading Gardens of the Chicago Flower & Garden Show